Support for high frequency concentric conductors



Aug. 5, 1941.

E. D. THORNE SUPPORT FOR HIGH FREQUENCY CONCENTRIC CONDUCTORS OriginalFiled March 11, 1937 I IIll,III/IIII'IIIII/I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIlII/J 4Sheets-Sheet l L INVENTOR E. DAYTON THORNE BY g ATTORNEY Aug. 5 19410 E.D. THORNE SUPPORT FOR HIGH FREQUENCY GONCENTRIC CO NDUCTORS Origina;Filed March 11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 more: P/JRT EXTEND/N6 4301 5 TWINC0/V0l/6'TOR BECOMSi/ ANTENNA 0/? RADIATOR TRANSMITTER TRANSMITTER 0RkEC'E/VER 0A RECEIVER INVENTOR EgWTON THORNE Aug. 5, 1941. E. D. THORNEH FREQUENCY CONCENTRIC CONDUCTORS SUPPORT FOR HIG m 3 m H t T N w N a hEN 0 6 Wm H m M A w 0 & E 4

Original Filed March Aug. 5, 1941. E. D. THORNE 2,251,530 SUPPORT FORHIGH FREQUENCY CONCENTRIC CONDUCTOR-S Ori inal Filed March 11, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 4 I NVEN TOR ATTORNEY 5.0 YTON THORNE BY ag 5 m D m illmmmwmwmmmmmmmmmHmmm m a m n a 4 i J .y i I 5 I a.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 SUPPORT FOR. HIGH FREQUENCY CONCEN- TRICCONDUCTORS Earle Dayton Thorne Patchogue, N. Y., assignor to RadioCorporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Continuation ofapplication Serial No. 130,243, March 11, 1937. This application March19, 1940, Serial No. 324,892

20 Claims.

amount of spacing or supporting solid dielectric material in the highfrequency field of a concentric conductor or transmission line system.

Another object'of this invention is to provide a substantiallyinsulating point contact supporting system employing a plurality ofrod-like spacing members.

Still another object of this invention is to provide adjustableinsulating apparatus to enable accurate external control of conductorspacing of concentric transmission lines used for high frequencycurrents.

A further object of this invention is to improve the circuit arrangementof concentric conductors in combination with spacing and supportingmembers of this invention.

An advantage of this invention resides in the fact that the spacingmeans for the tubes or conductors are adjustable, that no metal projectsinto the high frequency field, and that the formation of corona,arcovers, etc., is reduced or prevented. The reduction of soliddielectric material in the high frequency field reduces dielectriclosses. Furthermore, the insulators of this invention can be easilyinspected and replaced, if necessary.

Another advantage of this novel type of support for concentric tubes isthat it may be used to hold a first tube or conductor concentric toanother tube, or second tube, and that these two tubes may then belocated concentrically with respect to a third tube, this arrangementproviding two separate high frequency paths, the intermediate tube beingin general the common conductor for both separate paths.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to theaccompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a concentric conductor, showing theinsulating means of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail cross-section, showing the improved insulator of thisinvention, partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a concentric conductor havinginternal rod-like insulating members, the section being taken on theline 33 of Fig. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of Fi 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a triple concentric conductorarrangement, the section being taken on line 55 of Fig. 6, which is acrosssectional view of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a quadruple concentric arrangement,the section being taken on line 'i| of Fig. 8, which is a cross-sectionof Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a diagram of a circuit arrangement, employing twin conductorsof those shown by Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive;

Fig. 10 is a diagram of a circuit, employing a combination of twin andtriple conductors, shown in Figs 1 to 6, inclusive;

Fig. ,11 is a side elevation partly in section of an arrangement whereina single concentric conductor is connected to a push-pull couplingarrangement;

Fig. 12 is an end view of Fig. 11, a portion of which is shown insection;

Fig. 12a is a plan view of Fig. 12; s

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a concentric conductor arrangement inwhich the proportional dimensions are given in terms of wave lengths;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a conductor employed in a couplingfilter;

Fig. 15 is a front elevation'of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is a top view of Fig. 14.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the outerconductor i is provided with a plurality of assembly groups of raisedthreaded members 2 which in this embodiment are equally spaced apart,although any number of insulators may be used,'such as four, five, six,etc. The assembly groups of raised members are placed at suitableintervals longitudinally along the outer conductor. Member 2 isinternally threaded and secured to member i by any suitable means, suchas machine screws 3, or itv may be secured by other means, such aswelding, soldering, riveting, or the like.

Within the threaded portion of member 2 there is provided a hollow stud4 in which an insulating rod 5 is rigidly held by means of a machinescrew 6, the ends I of insulating member 5 being rounded over so as topresent a substantial point contact on inner tube 8. When the concentricconductor is placed in a location which is subject to repeatedvibrations, the threaded member 4 may be securely locked in place bymeans of lock nut 9.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the inner tube in is provided with three apertures which are the samesize as the insulating rods ll. These apertures are located radially 120apart, but not in line with each other longitudinally. Diametricallyopposite each aperture is a smaller aperture for receiving a small fiator oval headed machine screw i2 which is threaded into the end ofinsulating rod H. In order that adjustment may be provided for differentdiameters of the outer conductor l3, a spacer i4 is provided, alladjustments being altered by using dilferent thicknesses of spacers.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to that of Figs. 3 and4, except that there is added three or more assemblies as shown in Figs.1 and 2 secured to the outside of tube 15 for concentrically spacingtube 13 and parts I l and i k-as shown, in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, forconcentrically spacing tube 13 from tube l3.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a further embodiment of this invention whereinfour conductors are concentrically arranged. The two innermostconductors i8 and ii are spaced apart in a manner similar to conductorsof It) and 13 of Figs. 5 and 6, by members H and H. The two outermostconductors i8 and 19 are spaced apart by an adjustable arrangementsimilar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, that is, the conductor i8is concentrically arranged within conductor it by means of insulatingrods 5 and members '3, i and 9; member 59 is also provided with anadditional group of members 2, and 3 which supports an additional longinsulating member 2% for securing conductors i6, I l and 19 inconcentric relationship.

Fig. 9 illustrates a simple circuit arrangement employing the supportand spacing members of this invention for coupling an antenna 2i totransmitting or receiving apparatus 22.

Fig. 10 illustrates an improved circuit arrangement in which a twinconductor is combined with a triple conductor for coupling an antenna Mto receiver or transmitting apparatus 22, the specific features of thetriple conductor being illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 and thetwin conductor in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

While Figs. 9 and 10 show but two specific applications of the improvedadjustable supporting members of this invention, these supportinginsulators may also be used in long lines for frequency control whenconcentric conductors are employed. They may also be used for apush-pull coupling arrangement, as shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 12a, inwhich a twin conductor line comprising an outer conductor 23 and aninner conductor 24 changes to a triple line by means of the addition ofa tapered or triple conductor 25, all three of which terminate within ajunction box 26 at which point the line then changes to two twin linescomprising inner conductors 2! and outer conductors 28, the outerconductors being spaced apart by means of a bridge-like arrangement 29.The constructional details of the insulating spacing members have beenpreviously illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8 and comprise the shortinsulating spacing members 5, long insulating spacing members 29,threaded member 2, look nut 9 and hollow stud Li Fig. 13 shows aschematic diagram of a crosscoupling filter particularly adapted to atelevision transmitter, in which the proportionate relationship ofwave-lengths and their dimensions are given for a transmitter operatingat a video frequency of 49.75 megacycles and a voice frequency of 52inegacycles, the video( \l) frequency being connected at a point 30 andthe voice (A2) frequency being connected at a point 3!. These are thencombined and terminate in an antenna connection which is taken off at apoint 32. The actual structural arrangement of this cross-couplingfilter is shown in detail in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, the conductors beingspaced apart by means of the insulating supporting members 5 andassociated elements, shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 2.

In such a television circuit as mentioned above, it is desirable to beable to adjust the space relationship between the several conductors toobtain the desired electrical characteristics; this is readilyaccomplished by the use of simple tools, such as a screw driver forturning member 4 and a wrench for locking member 4 when the desiredspacing is obtained.

The concentric conductors of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are also used for highfrequency currents and circuit arrangements, as shown, for example, in aLindenblad Patent #2,131,108, patented Sept. 27, 1938 (Fig. 12); in aGarter Patent #2,l28,400, patented Aug. 30, 1938 (Fig. 5); in a Conklinet al. Patent #2,103,515, patented Dec. 28, 1937; and in a Kroger Patent#2,].U8,895, patented Feb. 22, 1938, respectively, and the apparatus ofFigs. 5 and 6 may be used in systems as described in a Tunickapplication, filed June 15, 1936, Ser. 'No. 26,749, now Patent#2,l69,305, dated Aug. 15, 1939.

While only a few modifications of this in vention are shown. it is to bedistinctly understood that it is not to be limited to those shown but iscapable of taking other forms and shapes within the spirit and scopethereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A high frequency apparatus comprising an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a plurality of supports for adjusting and locating saidinner conductor, each of said supports having a raised boss portion,each support located at an aperture on the outside of said outerconductor and spaced apart from the other supports, a hollow studlocated within said bos portion, and an insulating member secured tosaid hollow stud and arranged to extend inwardly through an aperture inthe wall of said outer conductor to contact the outside wall of saidinner conductor.

2. A high frequency apparatus comprising an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therem, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a plurality of supports for adusting and locating saidinner conductor, each of said supports having a raised boss portionhaving internal threads, each support located at an aperture on theoutside of said outer conductor and spaced apart from the othersupports, a hollow threaded studlocated within said boss portion, and aninsulating member secured to said hollow stud and arranged to extendinwardly through an aperture in the wall of said outer conductor tocontact the outside wall of said inner conductor.

3. A high frequency apparatus comprising an outer conductor, having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a plurality of supports for adusting and locating saidinner conductors, each of said supports having a raised boss portion,each support located at an aperture and spaced end opposite said roundedportion to said hollow stud and arranged to extend inwardly through anaperture 'in the wall of said outer conductor to contact the outsidewall of said inner conductor by said rounded portion.

4. A high frequency apparatus comprising an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor within said outerconductor, a plurality of supports for adjusting and locating said innerconductor, each of said supports having a raised boss portion, eachsupport located at an aperture on the outside of the outer conductor andspaced apart from the other supports, a threaded hollow stud locatedwithin said boss portion, the upper portion of said threaded hollow studbeing slotted to permit adjustment thereof, and an insulating meny, bersecured to said hollow stud and arranged to extend inwardly through anaperture in the wall of said outer conductor to contact the outside wallof said inner conductor.

5. In a television circuit comprising a plurality of concentric tubularelectrical conductors some of which have apertures therein, means forsupporting said conductors from one another and for adjusting the spacerelationship between them to obtain desired electrical characteristicsof said television circuit, said means comprising a plurality ofinsulated members each one of which passes through an aperture and issupported by the wall of the outermost conductor to bear against thewall of an inner conductor, and at least one of the inner conductorsextending beyond said outermost conductor.

6. In a high frequency conductive system, an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a pluraility of supports for said inner conductor, eachof said supports having a raised boss portion, said boss portion beinglocated at an aperture on the outside of said outer conductor and spacedapart from one another, a

, hollow stud located within each boss portion,

and an insulating member secured to said hollow stud to extend inwardlythrough an aperture in the wall of said outer conductor to contact theouter surface of said inner conductor.

7. In a high frequency conductive system, an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a plurality of supports for said inner conductor, eachof said supports having a raised internally threaded boss portion, saidboss portion being located at an aperture on the outside of said outerconductor and spaced apart from one another, a hollowthreaded studlocated within each boss portion, and an insulating member secured tosaid hollow stud to extend inwardly through an aperture in the wall ofsaid outer conductor to contact the outer surface of said innerconductor.

8. In a high frequency conductive system, an outer conductor having aplurality of apertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within saidouter conductor, a plurality of supports for said inner conductor, eachof said supports having a raised boss portion, said boss portion beinglocated at an aperture on the outside of said outer conductor andequally spaced from one another, a hollow stud located within each bossportion, and an insulating rod having a rounded end portion associatedwith each stud, said insulating rod being secured by an end oppositesaid rounded portion to said hollow stud to extend inwardly through anaperture in the wall of said outer conductor to contact the outersurface of said inner conductor by said rounded portion.

9. In a high frequency conductive system, an outer conductor havingapertures therein, an inner conductor arranged within said outerconductor, a plurality of supports for said inner conductor, each ofsaid supports having internal threads and a raised boss portion, saidboss portion being located at an aperture on the outside of said outerconductor and spaced apart from one another, a threaded hollow studlocated within each boss portion, the upper portion of said threadedhollow stud being slotted to permit adjustment thereof, and aninsulating member secured to each hollow stud to extend inwardly throughan aperture in the wall of said outer conductor to contact the outersurface 01' said inner conductor.

10. High frequency apparatus comprising three coaxial conductors, meansfor spacing said conductors apart, said means comprising a plurality ofinsulating support members some of which are secured to the innermostconductor to support the intermediate conductor in concentricrelationship with the inner conductor, and a plurality of insulatingsupports for suitably spacing said intermediate conductor from saidouter conductor, each of said last supports having a raised bossportion, said support being located at an aperture on the outside ofsaid outer conductor and spaced apart from one another, a hollow studlocated within each boss portion, and an insulating member secured toeach hollow stud to extend inwardly through the 9 wall of said outerconductor to contact the outer surface of said intermediate conductor.

11. A high frequency apparatus comprising four coaxial conductors, meansfor spacing said conductors apart, said means comprising a plurality ofinsulating support members some of which are secured to the innermostand some secured to the outermost conductors to support the twointermediate conductors in cencentric relationship with the two otherconductors, and a plurality of supports for suitably spacing the twointermediate conductors within said outer conductor, each of saidsupports having a raised boss portion, said boss portions being locatedon the outside: of said outer conductor and spaced apart from oneanother, a hollow stud located within each boss portion, and aninsulating member secured to each hollow stud to extend inwardly throughan aperture in the wall of said outer conductor to contact the wall ofone of said intermediate conductors.

12. High frequency apparatus comprising two coaxial conductor systemseach having an inner and an outer conductor, means for electricallycoupling correspondingly arranged conductors of said two systemstogether, means for supporting and spacing the two conductors of eachcoaxial system apart from each other, said means comprising a pluralityof spaced insulating supports, each of said supports having a raisedboss portion on the outside of the outer conductor, a hollow studlocated within each boss portion, an insulating member secured to eachhollow stud and passing inwardly through an aperture in the wall of theassociated outer conductor and also extending outwardly therefrom, andadiustable means located on the outer conductor and operativelyassociated with said member for adjusting the effective length of saidinsulating member to provide adjustable spacing of said conductors.

13. In a conductive system fpr the communication of intelligence, twoconcentric conductors, means for supporting the inner of said conductorsfrom the outer, including a plurality of spaced insulator rods extendingfrom the outer surface of the inner conductor through apertures in thewall oi the Outer conductor and including elements mounted on. the outersurface of said outer conductor and individual to each rod for securingeach of said insulator rods thereto and means for adjusting the lengthsof said rods appearing between said conductors.

14. In a conductive system for the communication of intelligence, twoconcentric conductors, means for supporting the inner of said conductorsfrom the outer, including a plurality of spaced insulator rods extendingfrom the outer surface of the inner conductor through apertures in thewall of the outer conductor and including elements mounted on the outersurface of said outer conductor and individual to each rod for securingeach of said insulator rods thereto and means for adjusting the lengthsof said rods appearing between said conductors, at least one of saidelements mounted on the outer surface of said outer conductor being madeof metal, said metal element being entirely outside the high frequencyfield of said conductive system.

15. High frequency apparatus comprising three conductors coaxiallyarranged, the inner and outer conductors having a plurality ofaperturestherein, means for spacing said conductors apart, said meanscomprising a plurality of insulating support members secured to theinner conductor and each support member passing through an aperturetherein to support the intermediate conductor in concentric relationshipwith the inner conductor, and a plurality of supports for adjusting andlocating said intermediate conductor within said outer conductor, eachof said supports having a raised boss portion, each support located atan aperture on the outside of said outer conductor and spaced apart fromthe other supports, a hollow stud located and arranged within said bossportion, and an insulating member secured to said hollow stud andarranged to extend inwardly through an aperture in the wall of saidouter conductor to contact the outside wall of said intermediateconductor.

16. A high frequency apparatus comprising four conductors coaxiallyarranged, means for spacing said conductors apart, said means comprisinga plurality of insulating support members secured to and passing throughapertures in the inner and outer conductors to support the twointermediate conductors in concentric relationship with the two otherconductors, and a plurality of supperts for adjusting and locating thetwo intermediate conductors within said outer conductor, each of saidsupports having a raised boss portion, each support located at anaperture and spaced apart from each other on the outside or said outerconductor, a hollow stud located within a boss portion, some of saidinsulating members being secured to said hollow studs to extend inwardlythrough apertures in the wall of said outer conductor to contact theoutside wall of one of said intermediate conductors.

17. A high frequency apparatus comprising a plurality of tubularelectrical conductors each one of which is coaxially arranged withrespect to another conductor, means supporting some of said conductorsin proper space relationship between adjacent conductors to obtaindesired electrical characteristics of said high frequency apparatus,said means comprising a plurality of insulating members, each one ofsaid insulating members being arranged to pass through an aperture inthe inner conductor and secured to the inside wall of said innerconductor at a point diametrically opposite said aperture, saidinsulating member projecting beyond the aperture in said inner conductorand bearing against the inside wall of the outer conductor.

18. A high frequency conductive apparatus comprising a pair ofconcentric tubular electrical conductors, the outermost of saidconductors having apertures therein, means for supporting the innerconductor and for adjusting the space relationship between saidconductors to obtain desired electrical characteristics of said highIrequency apparatus, said means comprising a plurality of insulatedmembers, a supporting device for each insulated member on the wall ofthe outermost conductor, said supporting device having adjusting meansfor said insulated member whereby each one of said insulated members.travels through an aperture and bears against the wall of the innerconductor.

19. A high frequency apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the innerconductor serves as an antenna by extending beyond the outermostconductor.

20. High frequency apparatus comprising an inner and an outer tubularconductor which terminates by an insertion of an intermediate tubularconductor into at least three conductors, a junction box for saidconductors, means for spacing said conductors apart, said meanscomprising a plurality of insulating members secured to said outerconductor and extending inwardly through apertures in the walls of someof said conductors and adjacent said junction box in which at least twoseparate twin conductors are electrically coupled together, andadjusting means located outside said outer conductor to adjustably alterthe eifective length of said insulating members, said adjusting meanscomprising support members each having a raised boss portion eachsupport member located at an aperture on the outside of said outerconductor and spaced apart from the other support members, a hollow studlocated within each boss portion, and an insulating member secured toeach hollow stud.to extend inwardly through an aperture in the wall ofsaid outer conductor to contact the outer surface of one of said innerconductors.

EARLE DAYTON THORNE.

